


Novio

by MajorEnglishEsquire



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, Road Trips, Team Free Will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 18:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajorEnglishEsquire/pseuds/MajorEnglishEsquire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You have a 'profound bond,'" Sam chimes in from the back seat again, almost audibly wrapping the words in quotes.</p><p>Dean's gonna brake really hard really suddenly and Sam's gonna end up face-down in the fucking footwell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Novio

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Guu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guu/gifts).



> I do not own the rights to these characters, setting, show, etc. No harm is intended.
> 
> Thanks to Guu for letting me share this with everybody even though she never got to see it in real life because WHAT THE FUCK MAIL

Rather than zapping, Cas stays with them for the long-haul drive, New York to Nevada. Wendigo to chupacabra. Sam had given Cas the shotgun seat so he could nap in the back.

Dean's pretty tired, himself. Having the music down low so Sammy can sleep isn't helping much. But the fact that Cas is irritating him is keeping him awake well enough.

He keeps asking stupid-human questions. _Why are the seams on socks supposed to go on the inside? Why do people vacation at theme parks in the dead of summer when risk of heat stroke is highest? Why compare food to cardboard? Have you EATEN cardboard, Dean? That sounds inadvisable._

Then he asks, "Are we dating?"

Dean snorts a laugh at the suddenness of the question. Of how it came out of nowhere, precisely when he was gonna ask Cas why it was he was sticking around to irritate them instead of flying ahead to scope out the case.

Cas squints off out the passenger-side window and continues before Dean can formulate a response. "I simply think that, if we are dating, we're missing out on the sex. We could be having sex. I've experienced it and it's almost as enjoyable as hunting and fighting by your side. I think it would be pleasurable." He looks back over. "So, are we dating?" he repeats.

"I... didn't think we were?" he says, now honestly at somewhat of a loss. Then he adjusts in his seat, keeping an eye on the speed he's maintaining, and sits a little straighter. "I mean, no. No, man, we're not _dating_." He tries to shrug it off. Move on to the next dumb question.

"How do ya figure?" Sam's voice chimes in, low, from below the seatback, where he's still laying down, _not_ sleeping.

"Shaddup, Sam," he snaps.

"I think Sam means that, we may not be dating in the traditional sense, but in the non-traditional sense it seems very much like we are," Cas seeks to clarify.

"How are--" Dean cuts himself off. "We're not dating," he shakes his head.

"We go everywhere together, we have a deep bond, we fight at each other's side, our relationship has fluctuated, hit highs and lows, and now it's evened out," Cas shrugs. "I think we're dating quite steadily at this point."

"No. No. Look. You and me?" He lifts one hand from the wheel to motion between the two of them across the seats, "We're not a thing. I haven't taken you out to dinner or movies or bought you flowers or any of that shit," he points out.

"We've had dinner. And we've watched movies in motels. And you've given me companionship and purpose and things that -- while I admire all my Father's creations -- I value greatly over flowers," Cas contradicts.

"You have a 'profound bond,'" Sam chimes in from the back seat again, almost audibly wrapping the words in quotes.

Dean's gonna brake really hard really suddenly and Sam's gonna end up face-down in the fucking footwell.

"I admire you. And I find you arousing. And I think you find me arousing," Cas nods to himself. "You stare at me sometimes like you stare at women. You've touched my ass," he points out.

Sam snorts.

"I have n--"

"You patted my ass. You called me a baby," he turns to glare, "but you did touch my ass. And in the right turn of phrase, 'baby' can be a term of endearment."

Dean sputters. Then decides, "I don't want to date you, Cas. If I say we're not dating, we're not dating. This kind of thing has to be consensual, you know. If I don't want to date you, you're a fucking asshole if you force the issue."

That shuts Cas right up.

He returns his attention to the passing scenery for a while before he turns his head and says, "I'm sorry. I would never force-- I apologize, Dean. I'm sorry," he repeats, low. And turns away again.

No comment from Sam in the back seat. Not for miles. Long miles in which Cas seems to be searching for new topics. He opens his mouth to say something... then closes it. Purses his lips or sighs.

"I--" he finally says. "I wouldn't be a very," he clears his throat, " _reliable_ partner. I know that. But. I just." He stops. Doesn't continue.

Dean imagines the silence from the back seat is more judgmental than somnolent.

He swallows. "No, Cas. You'd be a great partner," he gives, a little contrite.

Cas shakes his head. Dean's eyes leave the road for a long moment to see the grimace that accompanies it. "No." A self-loathing laugh. "The best man I know thinks it would be distasteful to date me. I understand," he says. Sad.

"I didn't say it would be distasteful," Dean objects. "You're awesome, Cas. Just. We're not. In that way, I mean."

"He means you're not dating, you're _married_ ," Sam pipes up again. Daring Dean to jump to another denial.

"We're not married," Cas is the one to object.

Dean smirks. He's watched a lot of crappy TV in a lot of crappy motel rooms with Cas, that's for sure. "Dude," he says, "we're a little married," his eyes leave the road again to smile at Cas.

"I know," Cas quotes. "I love it."

"Oh my god," Sam laughs from the back seat.

Dean lets it lie for a while. Like a joke. He doesn't wanna leave Cas feeling miserable.

Other than the whole guy thing, something that's been borderline-blurred for Dean for a long time, anyway, he has to admit that him and Cas are comfortable with each other. He doesn't actually want Cas to fly off. He's glad he chose to ride with them this week.

He really is.

It wouldn't be horrible to date Cas. Dean can think of more punishing companions. He can, easily, imagine a long life in a single-family, pre-fab home with a woman who, though she tried, would never understand the first thirty years of his life.

He used to want that a lot.

And all he's ended up with, besides Sam, is.  
Well. Cas.

"You have fun? When we're hunting?" he asks, at last, tentative.

"Yes," Cas looks to him and shrugs. "All the time. When I'm with you."

Dean ticks his head and frowns and reconsiders. "Maybe we are dating."

Cas huffs a breath and smiles. "No. It's alright."

Dean drums his fingers on the wheel for a minute. "The bunker's in another couple hours. I was gonna drive straight west but what if. Um. We can drop Sam off. And. How about just you and me?"

Sam doesn't speak up. Dean leaves it to Cas.

"Like a date," he prompts after a minute, willing Sam not to snicker. He doesn't.

Cas's mouth does that thing where it ticks up, curling at the edges. His knee sways. He only does those little human things when he really can't help it. Like they leak through the grace and betray him.

He waits until Dean looks back at him to smile and nod yes.

Dean looks in the rear-view mirror though he can't see much but Sam's edges from where he's laying. "That okay with you, Sammy?"

"Sure. No problem."  
Not a hint of humor or judgment.

Later, they're back on the road, fresh clothes and one passenger lighter.

Cas waits until they're almost to Colorado before he scoots a little closer.

Dean watches him out of the corner of his eye. The sun's setting, traffic's building, and they're gonna have to stop soon.

A double for the night, maybe. Maybe a joke about not fucking on the first date.

This isn't the first date. Not really. Not even close.

He takes his right hand off the wheel and extends it across the shortened distance between them, offering.

He feels Cas grip his hand.

Dean pulls a little, and Cas scooches over.

He brings Castiel's knuckles to his lips and kisses over his fingers. Twice. Sets their tangled hands on his thigh while he keeps an eye out for a nice burger joint and some quiet-looking lodging.

"Maybe Sam's right. Maybe we're married," he can hear the smile in Cas's voice. The weird, very human musing. And hope.

"We coulda kept Sam in the car to witness. Gone to one of them drive-thru chapels once we hit Nevada," Dean says.

"Dean," Cas goes quiet one more time, squeezes his hand. "You don't have to do this."

Dean is silent for a minute, driving into the pink-orange of sunset. "I'm the best man you know?" he finds himself marveling.

Cas presses his head into Dean's shoulder. He feels him nod, solemn.

Dean takes an exit off the highway and.  
Decides to be the man Cas deserves.

He pulls up to a space in front of an inn, not their typical seedy nighttime stopover. He manages to put the Impala in park without shaking loose their hands.

"Hey, Cas?" he eases back in the seat and pulls Castiel's hand up again, mouths at his knuckles.

Cas looks up, can still see him perfectly in the long shadows of buildings and the gathering dark.

"Will you go out with me tomorrow? To this big desert. Maybe save my ass from a mutant goat-sucker or something?"

Cas smiles.

For the first time in what will become a string of important moments, Dean thinks at him really hard:  
'Say yes.'

Cas nods. "Of course, Dean."


End file.
